Novel corrugated metal building structural unit

Abstract

A corrugated metal building panel (e.g., made of steel) is provided herein. The panel has at least one (and preferably two) longitudinally extending major waves disposed about a neutral axis. Each such major wave is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous, web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed thereon. The wave-like stiffeners follow the general major corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof. A plurality of spaced-apart flange zones are formed on the panel, the flange zones comprising spaced-apart flattened areas deformed from the general corrugated pattern of the general major corrugated pattern of the panel. The panel is also provided with spaced-apart flange stiffeners. Furthermore, such flange stiffeners which are distributed along the major wave, always project from the exterior of the curvature of the major wave and are always directed towards the neutral axis of the panel. In this way, the local buckling factor is improved and the section modulus is increased, with the degree of improvement in local buckling factor and section modulus being optimized by the selection of a particular configuration from a series of alternative configurations. Thus, the strength and rigidity of the corrugated panel is increased.

I claim: 
     
       1. A corrugated metal building panel having at least one longitudinally extending major wave disposed about a neutral axis, each such major wave being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed on each major wave and following the general corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart flange zones, said flange zones comprising spaced-apart, flattened areas deformed from the general corrugated pattern of the major wave of said panel and spaced-apart flange stiffeners, said flange stiffeners projecting from the exterior of the curvature of said major wave and always being directed towards the neutral axis of the panel, whereby the local buckling factor is optimized, and the section modulus and the moment of inertia are increased, and consequently the strength and rigidity of the panel is increased. 
     
     
       2. A corrugated metal building panel having two interlinked longitudinally extending major waves disposed about a neutral axis, each such major wave being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed on each major wave and following the general corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart flange zones, said flange zones comprising spaced-apart flattened areas interconnecting curved portions superposed on each major wave, said flattened areas being deformed from the general corrugated pattern of the major wave of said panel and spaced-apart flange stiffeners, said flange stiffeners projecting from the exterior of the curvature of said major waves and always being directed towards the neutral axis of the panel, whereby the local buckling factor is optimized, and the section modulus and the moment of inertia are increased, and consequently the strength and rigidity of the panel is increased. 
     
     
       3. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 2 wherein said flange zones comprise a pair of spaced-apart generally semi-circular stiffener elements separated by flattened stiffener elements at the troughs and the crests of the major waves. 
     
     
       4. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 3 wherein said flange zones also include seam stiffeners comprising a generally semi-circular seam stiffener element adjacent each lateral edge of said panel. 
     
     
       5. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 4 wherein the lateral edges are flattened. 
     
     
       6. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 5 wherein said flattened stiffener elements are longer at the troughs and at the crests than along the lateral edges of the major waves. 
     
     
       7. A corrugated metal building panel having two interlinked longitudinally extending major waves disposed about a neutral axis, each such major wave being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed on each major wave and following the general corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart flange zones, said flange zones comprising alternating spaced-apart flattened portions, said flattened areas being deformed from the general corrugated pattern of said major wave of said panel and spaced-apart generally semi-circular flange stiffeners, said flange stiffeners projecting from the exterior of the curvature of said major waves, and always being directed towards the neutral axis of the panel, whereby the local buckling factor is optimized, and the section modulus and the moment of inertia are increased, and consequently the strength and rigidity of the panel is increased. 
     
     
       8. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 7 where said flange zones comprise a pair of spaced-apart generally semi-circular stiffener elements separated by flattened stiffener elements at the troughs and the crests of the major waves. 
     
     
       9. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 8 wherein said flange zones also include seam stiffeners comprising a generally semi-circular seam stiffener element adjacent each lateral edge of said panel. 
     
     
       10. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 9 wherein the lateral edges are flattened. 
     
     
       11. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 10 wherein said flattened stiffener elements are longer at the troughs and at the crests than along the lateral edges of the major waves. 
     
     
       12. A corrugated metal building panel having a single longitudinally extending major wave disposed about a neutral axis, said major wave being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed on each major wave and following the general corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart flange zones, said flange zones comprising spaced-apart flattened portions, said flattened portions being deformed from the general corrugated pattern of the major wave of said panel, and spaced-apart generally semi-circular flange stiffeners, said flange stiffeners projecting from the exterior of the curvature of the major wave and always being directed towards the neutral axis of the panel, whereby the local buckling factor is optimized, and the section modulus and the moment of inertia are increased, and consequently the strength and rigidity of the panel is increased. 
     
     
       13. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 14 wherein said flange zones comprise a pair of spaced-apart generally semi-circular stiffener elements separated by flattened stiffener elements at the troughs and the crests of the major waves. 
     
     
       14. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 12 wherein said flange zones also include seam stiffeners comprising a generally semi-circular stiffener seam element adjacent each lateral edge of said panel. 
     
     
       15. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 14 wherein said flattened stiffener elements are longer in the portions interconnecting the minor corrugations than at the crest and the troughs. 
     
     
       16. A corrugated metal building panel having three interlinked longitudinally extending major waves disposed about a neutral axis, each such major wave being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, discontinuous web zones, each web zone comprising a plurality of interlinked longitudinally extending wave-like stiffeners superposed on each major wave and following the general corrugated pattern of the major wave thereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart flange zones, said flange zones comprising spaced-apart flat areas interconnecting trapezoidally-shaped portions superposed on each major wave, said flattened areas being deformed from the general corrugated pattern of the major wave of said panel and spaced-apart trapezoidally-shaped flange stiffeners, said trapezoidally-shaped flange stiffeners projecting from the exterior of the curvature of said major waves and always being directed towards the neutral axis of the panel, whereby the local buckling factor is optimized, and the section modulus and the moment of inertia are increased, and consequently the strength and rigidity of the panel is increased. 
     
     
       17. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 16 wherein said flange zones also include seam stiffeners comprising a trapezoidally-shaped seam element adjacent each lateral edge of said panel. 
     
     
       18. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 17 wherein the lateral edges are flattened. 
     
     
       19. The corrugated metal building panel of claim 16 wherein said stiffener at each said crest comprises three interlinked trapezoidally-shaped waves, and said stiffener at each of said troughs comprise a pair of interlinked trapezoidally-shaped waves.